Finding Leverage
by MeganRosey123
Summary: Keira is a teenage runaway trying to survive on her own and look for her birth father. With the help of a few friends she met along the way she decides to settle in one place. Too bad she doesn't know how close she is to what she's always wanted.
1. Chapter 1

I guess my real story started when I was nine. But here's what led up to it.

I had been born into a unique life. My mom had been a model at the height of her career when she had a one night stand that turned into a nine month pregnancy. She had decided to put me up for adoption, but when she went into labor she had a change of heart and kept me, which meant she had to find my father. All she knew was that he was in the military. She found him when I was four, he came around a few times and then he disappeared until I was nine.

My mom had wanted to get back to her model's stature so she dieted, well I thought it was dieting but she starved herself. So much so that she put strain on her heart and had a fatal heart attack. He showed up to her funeral, explained to me that he couldn't take me in so he got me a safe home to go to. I never saw him again and as was the place he had found for me fell through and I was thrust into foster care.

The first home was decent, the second home had other kids that were okay, but the third home had foster parents were jokes. They stock piled kids so they could get checks from the state, we weren't fed every day but it was a place to sleep. It was in that house in Georgia I came to meet an older girl who changed the course of my life.

Her name was Lauren Hilts and she had been able to get her hands on a computer. Turns out she was smart enough to do whatever the hell she wanted with it too. She was looking for her birth parents or any blood relatives. By then I had figured out how to require the things I needed illegally, I was good at it too.

She told me she'd look for my father if I got her fifty bucks, so I lifted a few teachers' wallets at school and got it to her. She found a record of his high school and where it was, three nights later I was heading out on my own.

I met a boy three years older than me when I was ten. He saved me from an attack and we hopped a train together. His name was Joey Hart and we traveled together until I was 12 and up until he took the heat in Memphis when we got caught stealing. He went to juvie and I kept moving.

I was thirteen when I got to Kentucky and the Kensington Racetrack Stables. Aimee Martin had warm eyes and pretty blonde hair. I had come here when I was looking for a connection to my past. Looking for a trace of the father I barely knew; a lead to him.

Instead I found the Martins, I had been wandering around with no place to stay and Willie took me in and gave me a little stability. When the fire happened Willie warned me before he warned Aimee that he was calling in for help. He gave me a 12 hour thinking period to figure out if I would stay or go.

I chose to go.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I was in the wind again at 15 and I learned once again how to survive and live on my own. The Martins had taught me about working stables so I used that for awhile and got hired as a labor hand in Ohio. I ended up in New York when I was 16; I hitched a ride out with the owner's son I had been working for. Liam Howards wanted to be a model so I decided to go along for the ride.

When he went in for a meet-and-greet I went with him, turns out I was what they were looking for. The manager of the agency said I had natural talent. So I decided to stay in New York with Liam for awhile and do the whole model thing. We got a crappy apartment and I started trying to get a hold of Lauren.

I found her in New Hampshire. She had found a way underground and taught herself coding and took odd jobs to survive. When I got a hold of her and told her I had a place for her to stay she warned me she had made it on some watch lists.

We packed all her crap and went off to New York; she claimed she was doing it to keep me out of trouble. Seeing as I was living under a fake name because I was still technically a minor. She got us some money, I didn't ask how, and signed a lease on an old but bigger place – for her (and I quote) very expensive crap.

Lauren also searched for Joey for me and found out he had done a stint in prison.

With a few days and almost a dozen monsters she tracked down a location for me. I used some old contacts to get a scrubbed car and went to get him. When we were younger I promised to write to him if we ever got separated and send it to a place that held letters for him. I wrote him every week about how I was and where I was headed, but I never put a return address. I figured he wouldn't want to write back anyway.

He was working in Jacksonville Florida as a tattoo artist in a shitty shop in a shitty part of the town. I walked in while he was doing a chest piece on a very scared looking girl. He stopped asked me what the hell I wanted, I told him who I was and three days later we were heading back to New York.

When we got back to the place Lauren had gotten she was asleep in Liam's arms I his bed so of course I woke them up with a terrified scream. Since those months of finding each other, jobs, and yes finding love we've become a family. A very odd and very versatile and oddly equipped with illegal skills family; that keep to themselves.

I know I said that my story began when I was nine, but now that I'm trying to put it all down I guess _our_ story started when Lauren was approached to do a job.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

What most people get wrong is that we didn't need the money. That between my modeling, Liam's modeling and the money Joey got from the shop he worked in that we were doing okay. Truth is that we did need money, we didn't at first. Lauren had been funneling it in from somewhere and we didn't ask. But when Liam and Lauren started dating he got her to stop, something about how he wasn't too keen on visiting her in prison.

So she stopped and took an online tech job and stayed straight, well as straight as she can be. I was working as many gigs that I could get and got a waitressing job at a local club. Lauren had made me a full proof alias of Maggie Fitzgerald a 21 year old local.

We tried living clean for as long as we could stand, but it was hard, like an addiction, or a very irritating itch. Liam didn't understand this; he grew up with a different way of life. He had grown up on a farm with his mother, father and two brothers.

Lauren had been a ward of state from three until she aged out. Joey had run away from a druggie mom and an abusive stepdad. Joey then got locked up for armed robbery, I had been a pick pocket since third grade and Lauren had been using her computer skill for money since she was very young. It wasn't always legal work.

So when the shit started hitting the fan and she got offered a pretty big finder's fee for finding another hacker who had screwed over some high profile CEO, she came to her family to discuss it.

"No"

Liam had been the first to answer with a very serious face.

"Babe I know I said I would stop but we need the cash."

"I'll pick up some extra shifts Lauren, I don't mind"

We were in the empty space of our loft we called the common room. I had just got off an eight hour shoot and trying to rest before my late shift at the club. I had changed into a soft bra, a loose tank and comfy shorts after washing my face. My feet were in Joey's lap and he was trying to massage away some knots but he was tired too after doing a freelance job in the Bronx. Liam was exhausted; he had been working on a construction crew for the last few weeks.

When I mentioned taking a few more shifts Joey tightened his hold on my bare foot and shook his head.

"You've been working too hard Keir; you haven't been studying for your GED."

"Joey's right Keira, if I do this it'll set us up for a while, long enough to get on our feet completely." She was pleading with Liam now, who had schooled his face into a blank mask.

"Is it dangerous?"

"No" she answered quickly "I know what hacker they want and he isn't as great as he thinks he is." This time as she spoke she was smirking "It'll be a piece of cake"

"It's not…?" I trailed off as I made eye contact with Lauren

"No, I wouldn't do it if it was" she shook her head

I nodded and put my head back against the couch and tried to find some energy I knew I needed soon. I had to get ready for work and eat something. When Joey heard my sigh his hand moved up my leg in a soothing matter.

"I'm all for it" Joey said at length "And so is Keira"

I blinked at his words but none the less nodded. It would be helpful and I could tell Lauren was really excited by the prospect of a job. She had missed that life the most, and so I agreed. Liam was tight lipped and staring at Lauren's face, she was giving him her best puppy dog look. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Fine but you do it from here and you have to get the buds"

"I hate those things" Joey muttered and I had to laugh.

Lauren had developed ear buds, some high tech things that kept us connected while we were in trouble. There had been cons in our first months of living together in New York but when we went clean we stopped using them. Joey claimed Lauren put something in them to exclusively annoy him.

They had been small jobs; simple things that helped us establish our little home. Liam had never really approved but he did it for Lauren and me. Joey just wanted to stay out of jail and he was down for anything. But things change when hearts get involved and so we stopped.

"Yay! Thank you!" she smacked a kiss on his lips and bounced out of the room.

Liam shook his head and stared after his very happy girlfriend and then swiveled his head around to where I was laying with Joey.

"You'll keep her from getting too close?"

The question was for me, and as I looked into his eyes I wasn't surprised to see worry there.

"Of course I will, I doubt she'll cross their paths." I said it casually

"How long do you think it'll be until he figures out she's been piggy backing his system?" Joey asked still running his hand up and down my sore legs

"Well if they were as good as they should be he would've figured it out already" I shrugged "but he hasn't so I don't know. When he does we'll know and we'll deal with it"

I was in my room a few hours later, sitting at my small vanity and I was holding a curling iron to the last piece of my hair when Joey came in and made himself comfortable on my bed. I had already finished applying my makeup and after teasing the crown of my hair I was finished with my hair too.

"What time do you get off?" he was laying on his back and staring at the light above my bed.

"Around four"

He grunted as a response and I stood to find something to wear. The dress code for the club wasn't very strict; I just had to wear black and heels. I had figured out though the more I show the better the tips were. So I put on a black bustier top and black sequin shorts over some sexy stockings and finished it off with a pair of black ankle boots.

Joey had turned his head to watch me dress and as I finished he got up and brought me my coat.

"I don't want you to come home alone, I'll pick you up" he held my coat up and I shrugged into it

"No it's fine get your sleep"

I fastened the buttons and tied the belt; I smiled at Joey and brought my arms up around his neck. He settled his hands on my hips and pecked my lips.

"I'll pick you up and Liam's gonna drop you off" he leaned in for another kiss

"Joe, I'll be fine" I pulled back and he huffed

"It's not a discussion Keir" he tightened his hold on me and I took notice of the way his eyes were very fierce

"Yeah I know" I stepped back

He shook his head and tugged me back forward. This time he let his hand dive into my hair and kissed me softly and intensely. It was his way of saying sorry and I accepted it by clinging to him. We broke away for air and he put his forehead to mine.

"Be careful alright?"

"Alright"

"I'm gonna be at the shop until midnight"

I nodded and he walked me to the door where Liam was waiting for me. I shouted my goodbye to Lauren and pecked Joey's lips. The elevator in the building didn't work so we started down the numerous flights of stairs. Liam was quiet and offered his arm to help me as we went down.

"He still isn't over it." It wasn't a question but more of a statement.

"Nope, and I don't think he will be anytime soon"

We lapsed into silence once again. By the time we were on the subway and chatting away about his next shoot and when I was going on one again. He had been the one who wanted to be a model and he was the one who encouraged me to sign the contracts but it was also he who hated it the most.

It had lost its luster a few months into our contracts. At first it was sort of fun, meeting new people, being gawked at, and the fashion but when I found Joey again I just wanted a normal steady life and modeling was anything but steady. Liam was the same way, especially because Lauren wasn't too fond of the whole modeling underwear thing.

When it was our stop he walked me the few blocks to the club and all the way to the back door.

"Have fun" he said sarcastically

"Oh yeah, loads" I kissed his cheek and disappeared into the music and flashing lights.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Work consisted of handing out drinks to drunken college guys on break. I was working behind the bar tonight and I was getting pretty good tips which turned my fake smile into a real one. The music and chatter fell to the background and I let my mind wander. Joey had been getting slowly better, it was taking a long time but that was understandable.

We had met when were younger and he saved me. There were men, big men, trying to have "fun" with me when he ran up and started swinging around a bat. He was only thirteen then but he managed to land a few good solid hits and they ran off. He never really got over that, and when I had gone to Florida to get him he picked up that routine again.

He kissed me about a month after he moved in and since then we've belonged to each other. He was always a little possessive but so was I; we had grown up in a world where everything we cared about was just out of reach or taken away. So we held each other close, yes sometimes too close but we both needed that. Slowly he started getting less and less paranoid and protective.

Then three months ago happened. I had been coming off a shift at an all night diner and getting on the train to head home. Seems I looked like an easy target to a very large and awful looking man. I had noticed him the moment he noticed me and so I was ready for his grab. I fought him with a wildness I thought I would never have to use again. He broke two of my ribs; I left him there with no pulse. I had run home and straight into Joey's arms. He went crazy and handed me over to Lauren and headed out with Liam.

They came back an hour or two later, Joey took me in his arms and just held me and told me that the cops had been there already. Turns out he was DOA when the cops got to him. They caught the whole thing on security cameras, how he had tried attacking a young girl and she had struck back. They looked for me everywhere but I had unconsciously hid my face from the cameras. Which was an instinct I picked up in my preteen years, I quit the diner job and my alias, Joan Mason, disappeared.

Since then he hardly ever relaxed unless I was in his arms or he was tattooing. Joey was always texting me to see if I was okay or if I needed him and yes it could get annoying but I understood that. When I started working as Maggie at the nightclub he would sit at the bar all night and wait until I got off. But now he only drops me off and picks me up.

I had nagged him down to just picking me up, some nights though, when he didn't have any clients, he'd still sit at the bar. He was controlling, possessive and very protective but I was the same way, sometimes worse. Both of our jobs put us in close proximity with the opposite sex and some days I couldn't cope with him leaning over some whore getting a butterfly.

"So Maggie where's Carter tonight?"

I glanced over to Vince, the other bartender and smiled widely. Carter was the name Joey gave to people he didn't trust and Joey doesn't trust anyone.

"Working" I poured a shot "He has this big project coming up"

He nodded and took money from a tall brunette who was trying to catch his attention. He just kept smiling and nodding at her flirting. I pretended not to notice the quick glances he sent my way or the stares. Since I first came here for a job interview he'd been flirting with me. I'm pretty sure he's the reason I got hired but soon after he met Joey or "Carter" and stopped flirting.

At the end of the night my feet were killing me and I had forgotten to put some flats into my bag. Sighing I got my things together and put my coat on. I made my way toward the back door and fought off irritation when Vince joined me. He was good looking I guess, in a classic way, but I was in love and Joey was it for me.

"Hey Mags, do you want to go get a cup of coffee?" he asked this just as we walked out of the door, I had stopped to tie up my coat.

"Naw man she's good" I smiled at Vince's jump

He hadn't seen Joey leaning on the wall across from us, I noticed him as soon as we walked out; he was smoking and had his hood up. He moved toward us and I smiled at him as he held his arm out for me to slip under.

"Oh well I'll see you tomorrow then Maggie" Vince awkwardly turned away and I laughed under my breath

"I still have to work with him you know"

"Yeah I know" he kissed me then a short but warm kiss that had me smiling

He held out a small black plastic bag to me, I unwrapped myself from him and opened it.

"You're amazing"

"I know"

He let me use him to balance as I traded my heels for the flats he'd brought with him. Joey then tucked me under his arm and we started toward home. The streets were just coming to life as we stopped for a quick bite to eat before finding the energy to climb the dozen or so sets of stairs. When we had gotten to the first set I sighed and braced myself for hell.

"Here hop on" he crouched down in front of me

"Joey no!" I laughed and started up the steps

"Alright then" I heard him shuffle then I was up in the air

"Put me down!"

He just laughed and carried me up the stairs, when we got to our door I unlocked it but he never put me down. Lauren and Liam were asleep so he took me to his room because it was the farthest away from them. I laughed again as he tossed me onto his bed and climbed on top of me.

"What time do you have to go into the shop?" I asked after

He was running his hand up and down my bare back and staring at the ceiling.

"Ten"

I was quiet after that, I knew he wouldn't sleep but instead stay up and hold me, so I got comfortable and drifted off into sleep.


End file.
